Big Brother, the original reality TV show competition, has been given a Gen-Z makeover.
YouTube megastars, Kian Lawley and JC Caylen – with over three million subscribers on their joint channel – have invited twelve top-ranking online creators to live in a house in an attempt to win $25,000.
Much like the original series, contestants will face being booted out of the house by the viewing public and will compete in challenges which JC promises “will freak the motherf–kin’ YouTubers out.”
The hugely popular pair, famed for their crazy challenge videos, announced new series via their channel. “It’s the first of its kind…” said JC, “there’s no one doing this reality series,” added Kian.
The 10-episode-series, called The Reality House, aired for the first time on Friday, July 19. A new episode will be shown every Friday on the Kian and JC channel for 10 weeks.
The contestants include DIY expert Laura, a cooking influencer, a dude called ‘Cray Cray Roc’ known for ‘doing stupid shit on YouTube’, and others famed for Jackass-style stunts. All have huge online followings.
Yet it’s YouTube star and former Celebrity Big Brother 2017 contestant, Trisha Paytas, who is already causing a stir and way well prove a fan-favourite.
‘The oldest guy I dated was 84 when I was 19,’ she shares in the first episode.
And then there’s Elijah Daniel, who runs a popular Twitter account, claims he’s ‘not a YouTuber’ and, in fact, ‘he’s here to make YouTubers cry.’
“I haven’t seen anyone I wanna fight yet, but I’m also not inside yet,” he threatens on arrival. Crikey.
While the series looks set to have its fair share of drama, we doubt this Big Brother remake will have any of the unique charms of the UK series. Remember Nikki Graham’s infamous ‘who is she?!’ rant, or the time former MP George Galloway got on all fours and pretended to be a cat? (We almost called OFCOM for that one). It was prime television content.
And yet, the series is popular with the young’uns.
‘I love this so much already, and idc what people say about Trisha, shes whats gonna make this “reality show” the most drama-filled and interesting, SHE NEEDS TO STAY lmao,’ wrote one fan on YouTube.
‘I love total drama. I love this,’ wrote another.
Will you be watching?
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L’Oréal Blackett is a freelance journalist, broadcaster, and presenter with a lot of hair and a lot to say. A former digital magazine editor covering women’s issues and local news, she now works for a range of media publications including BBC Radio Manchester, Bumble and of course, UNILAD.